Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-09-24

1TsGCn2a Stanislow- kostka
de Mitkiewicz,
~ and the counts
name is pronounced as though it were
spelled Mitkee-wick. l met him in his
luxurious home on the other side of
Dupont circle, just opposite the big
palace occupied by the Chinese
legation, and during my call l saw
several richly dressed Cinnamon pass
to and fro through the other rooms of the
house. These were the Chinese noblemen
Tho have come to America to look into
our railroad and banking systems and to
make the contract, which is nearly con-
summated, to give American capital the
practical control Of the railroad, tele-
phones and banks of the Celestial empire.
This situation has been brought about by
the diplomatic talents of the Count Nit
kiewicz, and while the enterprise is purely
private as far as the United States is con-
cerned, it will probably bring the two ma
tons very close together.
China has now only eight miles OF rail-
road, and its population is more than
400, 900, 900. 1t has no national gold or
oliver coinage, and no such thing as a
national bank. Its only means Of COM
munication up to tiHs time have been its
canals, rivers and imperial roads. These
are kept up by taxation, and there are
10000 imperial roads in China. The rate
Of taxation is already as heavy as the
people will stand, and 1t is thought that
the bringing in Of outside capital to con-
stfuct these railroads will be u popular
movement. China is well adapted for the
establishment of network of railways,
and it is expected by these railroads to
also develop the immense coal fields of the
| -.
but will make China one Of the finest coal
countries in the world.
The Chinese government is very anxious
to have the railroads established as war
measure, and the mover in favor of the
project in China has been the VicerOy Lii.
Lii Is the Bismarck Of the Chinese govern
ment He is the brains of the governing
power OF the nation, and the late war with
France convinced him that in order to de-
fend China against France and Russia he
must have railroads and national bank.
1t Is through Iii that China has so inn
proved It's navy that it now stands well as
naval power. 1t has soma ships which
were built in Germany, and some of its
squadrons are manned by English officers.
The goaheaditiveness of Japan has taught
the Chinese a lesson, and they are more
, ready to adopt new institutions than ever
before. Their soldiers now use the cannon,
| and some of their men are armed with
| Remington rifles. Mitkiewicz arrived in
| China when the time was just ripe for
him, and he accomplished in a few months
what others have been trying TO do for
years. ~
He was led to China through his con-
nection with the Turnbuu telephone, and
he got the idea of putting the telephone
into China through his exhibition of 1t
here in Washington. About u year ago
he had a wire from here to New York,
and invited the diplomats and public
men of Washington to test its speaking
power. Among thosewho came was the
| Chinese minister. He was much in
| terested in it, and he told Mitkiewcz that
he thought it ought to be introduced into
China The count then went to Philadel-
pha and endeavored to organize n syndi-
| cate to operate the Turnbull telephone in
China. He here met Wharton Barker,
the man who built the railways of Russia,
and endeavored to interest him in the
project Barker said he did not care Il
blank for the telephone, but he thought if
the power to build railroads could be in
cluded in the franchise there would be a
fortune in it. 1t was with this view that
he raised the company which sent Mitkie-
wicz to China. The company has
n capital of $25,OOO,O 900, and Bar
ker raised 100000 to fit out n
ship with fifteen miles of wire, poles
and telephone apparatus. Expert cleo
! tricans were sent along. Mitkiewicz was
to have, so friend Of his tells me- sal
airy Of 81 900 n month, and he had Mt the
same time nice share Of the stock, too.
| l think the amount Is two and one-half
millions He was not, however, the finan-
| cial man Of the trip, but went merely as a
! diplomatic agent, and had a treasurer who
supplied him with funds. He put up the
! telephone, showed it TO be q success, and
got contract which, | am told, gives this
company the exclusive right 10 establish
national banks TO do the coinage of China,
the exclusive right to build railroads, and
the exclusive right to furnish the tele-
phonic communication for China for
thirty years. This bank will collect all of
the customs of China. Through it the
government salaries will be paid, and it's
president Is to be an American. The
Viceroy LII and the Chinese minister of
Washington are financially interested In
who came back with Mitkiewicz is the
uncle Of the minister.
The Count Mitkiewicz-by the way, he
tells me that he does not like to be ad-
dressed as count, S
that he Is done
with nobility, and 3~T~k
that he considers &&E
himself purely an NE
American citizen 6S&SSHA
lis now the most IN N/N
talked Of man in A w
Washington. His A N
career has been n wv
outlined 1 n tn e III & pE
newspapers, and
the truth is he has ~ vi
been very unforH ny
tuuate in his spec-h Vh ~
Nlat;ons of the k-emsnT f. E
past. His career " !
has been n check ~
cred one, and 1t is NIjI NV
hard to tell where NN
the true stories Wv
about 1t end and COUNT MTKIEWICZ.
| the false ones begin. He came hero
from Russia and married very